word on the street
"Jeff has been teaching my daughter, age 11, for a few years now. He has just the right combination of humor and patience to work with just about any age, something that I find rare in a world of instructors, and we are lucky to have found him. I have referred many friends to him and will continue to do so. From the very beginning, Jeff has been super easy to work with, inspiring to both my daughter and I, and his knowledge of music is truly unbelievable. Pardon the pun but … Jeff ROCKS!"
Kirsti R., Seattle, WA
"Jeff is a fantastic guitar teacher who is very student-focused. He lets me choose what I'd like to play and helps me along the way, while also building a solid foundation of guitar skills and musical knowledge. I'm excited to play my guitar and practice because Jeff makes learning such a positive experience!"
-Sue M., Seattle, WA
“I have taken lessons from Jeff since January 2015. From the start, he took a sincere and immediate interest in improving my playing. He will listen to what you have to say, what your goals are, and thoughtfully make an assessment of your mechanical and theoretical needs. He will tailor a plan that suits your level of experience. Highly recommended for any level or style of playing.”
-Stuart K., Seattle, WA
"Taking lessons with Jeff has drastically improved my guitar playing and sense of musicality. Jeff's lessons are highly individualized and thorough, as well as incredibly fun! I would highly recommend him for a guitar player at any level."
-Jacob S., Seattle, WA
"I have been playing guitar for over 20 years and I had developed some bad habits that were keeping me from moving forward. Jeff has an incredible eye for picking up the little things that prevent an amateur from getting better. Not only am I improving more quickly than ever before, but he has made it an enjoyable experience as well. This is a hobby for me and I need it to be fun and relaxing. Mission accomplished!"
-Doug F., Seattle, WA
"I decided to commit myself to learning guitar at the age of 66. After a couple months of self- instruction, it became obvious that I needed an instructor to make sure I was headed in the right direction. I was working on songs without developing the basic skills, and was wasting time practicing bad techniques. Jeff has been great at teaching me both finger-style and flat -picking while giving me freedom to choose my songs to keep it fun! Very highly recommended."
-Bruce B ., Seattle, WA
"I had wanted to learn for a while, but hadn't gotten around to setting up the lessons. I was paired up with Jeff and he has been an excellent teacher. He introduced me to guitar and music fundamentals in a very clear and understandable way and within the first week, we were already working on basic songs. Anytime I had questions outside of class, he was always quick to respond with exactly the answer I needed. His method of teaching makes perfect sense and doesn't leave you wondering what's next or why you learned something -it all has purpose. If you're interested in learning guitar, I highly recommend Jeff Nagel."
-Alex K., Seattle, WA
"I've been playing guitar and bass for 30 years. For most of this time I've played bass in various bands. I recently decided to change my focus to playing guitar…specifically lead guitar. When I started to look for an instructor I made a conscious decision to find someone who would understand that I was not a complete beginner and who would instead help me work on the specific areas that I wanted to improve. Thankfully I found Jeff. Jeff was quickly able to evaluate my current ability level and get right to work on learning the new skills that I desire. After the first lesson I told my wife that I had learned more about lead guitar with that 30 min lesson than I had on my own in the past 10 years. I highly recommend Jeff to anyone who wants to improve their guitar playing. Whether beginner, intermediate or advanced, Jeff can help you take your playing to the next level."
-Ray N., Seattle, WA
"Jeff is a great teacher. I started lessons nearly two years ago, with little guitar experience, and it's amazing how much he's taught me in that amount of time. He's patient, and takes the time to teach everything from techniques to songs in a way that is easy to understand. I didn't just run through exercises over and over, Jeff actually taught me new techniques and concepts through the songs I wanted to learn, which made the process very enjoyable. I'm extremely grateful to Jeff for everything he's done, and I would absolutely recommend him as a teacher."
-Luis S., Seattle, WA
"Jeff has helped me re-ignite my passion for music. I started with acoustic guitar, but over the last year I started on electric and really enjoy my practice time. In addition to learning how to play, Jeff uniquely teaches music theory in a way that a student can use the theory and apply it to guitar playing. I, for example, am learning blues soloing -a knowledge of music theory is important. If you are looking for an instructor who can make learning fun and keep you interested, then Jeff is your instructor."
-Jim B., Seattle, WA
"Jeff's teaching style brings a whole new level of versatility to lessons. Learning Classical guitar has prepared me for music auditions, helped me read music, and built finger strength. On the other side of the spectrum, he has also taught me tips and tricks to playing blues, jazz, and contemporary guitar. Once he realized I really enjoy soloing, he showed me various scale patterns and ways to build my skill there as well. I have learned and improved a monumental amount in every area of playing in just 8 months!"
-Nadia N., Seattle, WA
"With Jeff I'm not simply playing songs, but creating my own music. Jeff can easily take his knowledge and make it easy to understand and use for his students. All in all my skill as a guitarist has increased dramatically thanks to Jeff."
-Sean P., Seattle, WA
"Our son was taking guitar lessons in another state before we moved to Washington and began lessons with Jeff. After he began lessons with Jeff we noticed our son's guitar playing improved immensely in a short period of time. As a parent I would highly recommend Jeff he is both professional and friendly and a gifted guitar teacher. Thanks Jeff!"
-Elizabeth P., Seattle, WA
"As a drummer having worked with Jeff live and in the studio, he always stood out as probably the most versatile and comfortable guitarists that I've ever worked with. So, when I decided to really get serious about learning guitar, Jeff was the obvious choice. Jeff's Skype lessons are convenient and just as good as being in the same room. I couldn't be happier with Jeff as a teacher."
-Jim S., Key West, FL
"I have been playing guitar for over 30 years and lost my way for learning. Jeff has helped me improve my playing and depth of knowledge of not only playing the guitar but many aspects of music. Highly recommend without reservations."
-Cecil O., Kirkland, WA
"Excellent instructor. He is very knowledgeable about the guitar and has a great teaching method. He is an excellent musician who knows how to impart his experience to his students."
-Paul P., Seattle, WA
"Jeff is a great teacher. I've been playing on and off for quite a while and I took lessons from him from time to time as needed. I found that he could break things down in a simple way for me to understand and provide me with exercises tailored to improve individual technique as well. He gives great advice about what a good lead guitarist should be without having lead guitarist disorder and taught me how to break songs down so I could eventually figure them out myself; which we all have to do at some point in our playing career :). I highly recommend him."
"Jeff is a great teacher. I've been playing on and off for quite a while and I took lessons from him from time to time as needed. I found that he could break things down in a simple way for me to understand and provide me with exercises tailored to improve individual technique as well. He gives great advice about what a good lead guitarist should be without having lead guitarist disorder and taught me how to break songs down so I could eventually figure them out myself; which we all have to do at some point in our playing career :). I highly recommend him."
-Elizabeth Y., Bellevue, WA
"I'm completely sold on Jeff 's teaching. He mixes technical issues with "fun" work, and always manages to target the type of instruction I need at a given moment. He is readily available, enthusiastic and best of all, a gifted teacher (as well as a talented musician!)."
"I'm completely sold on Jeff 's teaching. He mixes technical issues with "fun" work, and always manages to target the type of instruction I need at a given moment. He is readily available, enthusiastic and best of all, a gifted teacher (as well as a talented musician!)."
-Keith M., Bellevue, WA
"Jeff has been my teacher for about 6 months. I am trying to pick up the guitar again after about 5 different teachers I had as a kid. For whatever reason, I never understood much of what the teachers I had in my youth were trying to say. Jeff has made it all very understandable and I will be continuing with him for the indefinite future. I am still a beginner, but I am finally understanding what it is that I am supposed to be doing."
"Jeff has been my teacher for about 6 months. I am trying to pick up the guitar again after about 5 different teachers I had as a kid. For whatever reason, I never understood much of what the teachers I had in my youth were trying to say. Jeff has made it all very understandable and I will be continuing with him for the indefinite future. I am still a beginner, but I am finally understanding what it is that I am supposed to be doing."
-Chris B., Bellevue, WA
"Our daughter always looks forward to her lesson with Jeff every week!"
"Our daughter always looks forward to her lesson with Jeff every week!"
-Elaine C., Bellevue, WA
"Jeff has been a great instructor for not only me, but my 11 year old son as well. He is very patient and extremely knowledgeable. He makes the lessons fun, but they are always full of information and technique. We have been with him for a while now and couldn't imagine working with another instructor."
"Jeff has been a great instructor for not only me, but my 11 year old son as well. He is very patient and extremely knowledgeable. He makes the lessons fun, but they are always full of information and technique. We have been with him for a while now and couldn't imagine working with another instructor."
-Chris M., Bellevue, WA
"Jeff has been a great teacher for me. He makes lessons fun and goes at your personal pace. He is also very patient."
"Jeff has been a great teacher for me. He makes lessons fun and goes at your personal pace. He is also very patient."
-Max V., Bellevue, WA
"Jeff is incredibly knowledgeable, and has knowledge about all sorts of different aspects and styles of music, his lessons have improved my playing vastly!"
"Jeff is incredibly knowledgeable, and has knowledge about all sorts of different aspects and styles of music, his lessons have improved my playing vastly!"
-Will S., Bellevue, WA
"Jeff is amazing! He's the best guitar teacher I've had. I'm 14 years old and hoping to gain more knowledge on guitar playing and singing because music is what I love. He definitely provides the perfect balance of fun and instruction through all of our lessons and helps me down the path I want to go."
"Jeff is amazing! He's the best guitar teacher I've had. I'm 14 years old and hoping to gain more knowledge on guitar playing and singing because music is what I love. He definitely provides the perfect balance of fun and instruction through all of our lessons and helps me down the path I want to go."
-Kate M., Bellevue, WA
"I was self-taught and after 10+ year break in playing was quite nervous about studying with a teacher. Jeff makes students feel very comfortable and is encouraging in every way. The thing I like the best is his ability to quickly and correctly identify things that can be easily improved and that make a huge difference that I could never get from online lessons and books."
"I was self-taught and after 10+ year break in playing was quite nervous about studying with a teacher. Jeff makes students feel very comfortable and is encouraging in every way. The thing I like the best is his ability to quickly and correctly identify things that can be easily improved and that make a huge difference that I could never get from online lessons and books."
-Pavel S., Bellevue, WA
"My uncle bought me a guitar for my 13th birthday and my mom signed me up for lessons with Jeff. I took lessons with Jeff for 7 years until he moved to Seattle. I also had the pleasure of working in the music store where Jeff taught so we have a great friendship that goes along with the student teacher relationship. Jeff let me pick what songs I wanted to learn and when I got bored with what was on the radio, he helped me in the songwriting department and I came up with some of my own. Jeff is an amazing teacher in the way that he connects with his students and gears the lessons towards each student's individual needs. I wish Jeff the best of luck in Seattle, but I miss him being in Cleveland!"
"My uncle bought me a guitar for my 13th birthday and my mom signed me up for lessons with Jeff. I took lessons with Jeff for 7 years until he moved to Seattle. I also had the pleasure of working in the music store where Jeff taught so we have a great friendship that goes along with the student teacher relationship. Jeff let me pick what songs I wanted to learn and when I got bored with what was on the radio, he helped me in the songwriting department and I came up with some of my own. Jeff is an amazing teacher in the way that he connects with his students and gears the lessons towards each student's individual needs. I wish Jeff the best of luck in Seattle, but I miss him being in Cleveland!"
-Caitlin F., Cleveland, OH
"Jeff is a great guy, an excellent teacher, and a top-notch player. Even having played for 30+ years when I started taking lessons with him, he taught me a great deal about music and the instrument. I recommend him highly, without reservation."
"Jeff is a great guy, an excellent teacher, and a top-notch player. Even having played for 30+ years when I started taking lessons with him, he taught me a great deal about music and the instrument. I recommend him highly, without reservation."
-Bill B., Cleveland, OH
"Jeff is an absolutely fantastic guitar/bass teacher. I got lucky when I was randomly assigned to him by the store when he lived in Cleveland. I took lessons from him from 7th grade all the way through my senior year of high school. According to a saxophone teacher who also worked there, Jeff was the most sought after guitar teacher in the store. He's very knowledgeable about theory and technique. As a plus he is very knowledgeable about finger-style technique. His personality is fantastic and not only is he a great teacher, but a great friend. I'm now a sophomore in college in Ohio and he's in Washington, but we still keep in touch."
"Jeff is an absolutely fantastic guitar/bass teacher. I got lucky when I was randomly assigned to him by the store when he lived in Cleveland. I took lessons from him from 7th grade all the way through my senior year of high school. According to a saxophone teacher who also worked there, Jeff was the most sought after guitar teacher in the store. He's very knowledgeable about theory and technique. As a plus he is very knowledgeable about finger-style technique. His personality is fantastic and not only is he a great teacher, but a great friend. I'm now a sophomore in college in Ohio and he's in Washington, but we still keep in touch."
-C.J. H., Cleveland, OH
"I started going to Jeff when I was 10, which was 4 years ago. The years that I spent with Jeff were great. I miss him a great deal. He's a great player, nice guy, amazing teacher, and very understanding. Anything that I've ever asked to work on he was completely with it. He even paired me up with another guy my age to jam with."
"I started going to Jeff when I was 10, which was 4 years ago. The years that I spent with Jeff were great. I miss him a great deal. He's a great player, nice guy, amazing teacher, and very understanding. Anything that I've ever asked to work on he was completely with it. He even paired me up with another guy my age to jam with."
-Kingsley B., Cleveland, OH
"I decided I wanted to play guitar in the summer of 2010 and was nervous about who I was going to have as a teacher. However the butterflies flew away as soon as I met Jeff. I could see instantly that he was very kind and loved his work and his students. I had not been in the room for a minute and he seemed just so excited to have me as a student. I learned from Jeff for a couple months and he taught me so much about reading notes and how to keep my fingers so that I wouldn't get carpal tunnel -he is one of those guys who knows everything, but is not a snob about it. He was always happy to answer any questions I had. Jeff is a great guy, a great teacher, and a great friend and I am happy to have learned from him."
"I decided I wanted to play guitar in the summer of 2010 and was nervous about who I was going to have as a teacher. However the butterflies flew away as soon as I met Jeff. I could see instantly that he was very kind and loved his work and his students. I had not been in the room for a minute and he seemed just so excited to have me as a student. I learned from Jeff for a couple months and he taught me so much about reading notes and how to keep my fingers so that I wouldn't get carpal tunnel -he is one of those guys who knows everything, but is not a snob about it. He was always happy to answer any questions I had. Jeff is a great guy, a great teacher, and a great friend and I am happy to have learned from him."
-Al A., Cleveland, OH
"I started taking guitar lessons from Jeff in the second grade. I’m in the eighth grade now and I still haven’t stopped playing guitar. When I first met Jeff I wasn't very sure that I would like guitar. I thought I would quit after the first two lessons. Jeff made sure that didn't happen. He definitely succeeded at that! After a couple lessons I knew that Jeff and I were going to form a bond with each other. I was right. Jeff made me feel very comfortable. It made me want to come back each week. He doesn't choose the song that you are going to practice for you. He lets you choose the song. If he doesn't know how to play the song, he'll get out his handy dandy notebook and write the song title down and try to find it. Jeff is the best guitar teacher ever! I wish he could move back! He was hilarious and he makes up stories. The story that I remember was when he told me he had a space ship in my backyard in the form of a pine cone. I was gullible and believed him and threw out a pine cone thinking it was his space ship. I will miss him telling me that and all of the other hilarious things he told me. I miss him So much!"
-Josh U., Cleveland, OH
"I had wanted to learn how to play the guitar since I was a little girl. I was referred to Jeff, by one of my close friends. Jeff is a magnificent teacher. He is patient, compassionate, attentive, and devoted. Jeff took the time to learn who you were and learn your style so he could teach you how to play the music in your own fashion. He loves being a teacher, and I have never met a more astonishing person in this industry. I know I can speak for everyone here in Cleveland, Ohio who knew Jeff as a friend, or as their teacher -we miss him terribly! So enjoy your experience with him and realize how lucky you are to have such an extraordinary person for your teacher! His talents are mind blowing!"
-Brooke D., Cleveland, OH
"I took guitar lessons with Jeff for about 4 years. Not only is he an extremely talented musician, but an excellent teacher. He is such a great guitar player, and helped me to become one too. My lessons were always informative, inspiring and fun!"
-Lindsay S., Cleveland, OH
"I started lessons with Jeff about 3 years ago. He is the for sure the best teacher I have ever had, both educational and musical. He really connected with his students and let pick what songs they wanted to learn and while teaching the songs he integrated in technique and skills to help with other things down the road. I now also play tenor and alto saxophone, and probably would have never been able to read notes and be able to play the instruments I do today without Jeff. I wish him the best luck in Seattle, but I will miss him being in Cleveland."
-Jeremy S., Cleveland, OH
"I was 14 years old when I took my first bass guitar lesson from Jeff. Rather than showing me scale charts out of a book, like many other teachers, Jeff asked what kind of music I liked and immediately started teaching me to play my favorite songs. He helped me not only master precision and timing, but taught me the skills needed to play in a band. In fact, Jeff once let me sit in with his own band for a few songs. He's a great teacher and you'll have a lot of fun learning to play guitar from him."
-Greg K., Cleveland, OH
"Before I started taking guitar lessons with Jeff, I didn’t know anything about guitar. Jeff is an amazing guitar player and he is a great teacher. When I started taking lessons, he was patient with me and helped me learn the basics of guitar, like the notes on the fret board. He has inspired me in so many ways. In the summer I play live performances with the School of Rock (not the movie, the actual place). If I had had another teacher, I might not have the confidence to perform in front of live audiences like I do today. Jeff is a truly great and inspiring guitar player and he was an awesome teacher."
"Before I started taking guitar lessons with Jeff, I didn’t know anything about guitar. Jeff is an amazing guitar player and he is a great teacher. When I started taking lessons, he was patient with me and helped me learn the basics of guitar, like the notes on the fret board. He has inspired me in so many ways. In the summer I play live performances with the School of Rock (not the movie, the actual place). If I had had another teacher, I might not have the confidence to perform in front of live audiences like I do today. Jeff is a truly great and inspiring guitar player and he was an awesome teacher."
- Brendan C., Cleveland, OH
"After owning a guitar for almost a year I finally wanted to take some lessons. My girlfriend looked for a teacher for several weeks before finding Jeff. We were both so impressed that we actually waited a couple months until he had times open up to take new students. Right off the bat Jeff made me feel very comfortable. Even though I had zero experience he was very confident and patient, reinforcing what was going right and helping me through what wasn't working so well. He allowed my taste in music determine the direction of the lessons and what songs I learned. At my request, he even taught me the song I serenaded my girlfriend (now wife!) with when I proposed! His method of teaching is phenomenal and doesn't just focus on the song but, the correct mechanics of playing and the theory of music too. Every lesson was a fun mix of good conversation, good music and a great lesson. Anyone who can get Jeff as a teacher is a very lucky person."
"After owning a guitar for almost a year I finally wanted to take some lessons. My girlfriend looked for a teacher for several weeks before finding Jeff. We were both so impressed that we actually waited a couple months until he had times open up to take new students. Right off the bat Jeff made me feel very comfortable. Even though I had zero experience he was very confident and patient, reinforcing what was going right and helping me through what wasn't working so well. He allowed my taste in music determine the direction of the lessons and what songs I learned. At my request, he even taught me the song I serenaded my girlfriend (now wife!) with when I proposed! His method of teaching is phenomenal and doesn't just focus on the song but, the correct mechanics of playing and the theory of music too. Every lesson was a fun mix of good conversation, good music and a great lesson. Anyone who can get Jeff as a teacher is a very lucky person."
-Brian W., Cleveland, OH